Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1887-11-03
THE OLD LOG CABIN.
A HOOSlER PIONEER DESCRIBES
THE OLD HOME.
A House Built Without Brick, Nail,
Plank, Glass or Shingle-.The Internal
genious-Only One Room.

Plank, Glass or Shingle-.The Internal
| Fitting Up Both Economical and In
genious-OnIy One Room.
| The ordinary log cabin was about eighteen
| feet square. In rare cases it contained more
| than one room as general rule but one 1t
was built of round logs or poles, sometimes,
| though not often, dressed off little after its
erecHon. 1t was one story high, covered with
| clapboards about four feet long, split out of
| oak TIMBER which, instead of being nailed
down, were kept in their places by heavy
pieces of timber called "weight poes," which
were kept at suitable distances apart by the
use of small sticks of wood called "knees "
The boards rested on logs extending from one
end of the building to the other, each one
ascending higher than its predecessor, as the
gable went up, thus giving to the roof the
right pitch. These were called "ribs,n except
the one forming the apex of the roof, which
was called the fridge pole" To prevent the
first tier of boards from sliding off, there was
placed on each side split log for them to
rest against called the "butting pole" These
rested on the ends of logs projecting out from
the corners of the house, called "eaves
bearers"
When any floor other than that provided
by nature was used it was made of large
slabs split out of poplar or ash trees, and
dressed off on one side as smoothly as was
practicable with a broad AK. This was called
a ''puncheon" floor, and was at first confined
to families Of aristocratic pretensions, but
gradually came into general use There was
but one door, tt shutter to which was made
of clap boards and hung on wooden hinges,
with latch on the inside Of the same ma
terial, to which was attached a leather string,
which, through a small aperture in the shut
ter, was made to hang invitingly on the out
side; the truest indication of genuine hos
pitality being the fact that "the latch tring
was out" Generally there was one window,
made by cutting out the upper and under
halves of two neighboring logs, and filling
the space made vacant with CREASED paper,
often such as had been written on at school.
The lower part Of the chimney was built of
thick hewed pieces of timber, or heavy slabs,
lined OF the inside with thick coat of clay,
of which material the hearth was also made
The upper part was built of small split pieces
of timber about the size of a common tn,
and mortar made of clay and straw, tt in
side being smoothed off with the hands of the
possible. 1t was nice job to build one of
these chimneys, and the man who succeeded
well in it became considerable man in the
community, and exceedingly popular with
the women, who were then as now bitterly
opposed to Smoky chimneys."
The openings between the logs were stopped
with small pieces of split timber called
"chinks," to which was added mortar made of
common clay, put on with the hands of the
workmen. No cabin was ever considered
finished until it was "chinked" and "daubed" !"
Not brick, nail, plank, glass or shingle was
used in one Of these early homes of our fore
fathers, and such a thing as paint or wall
paper was not dreamed of. The internal
fitting up was quite as economical and in
genious On one side Of the spacious fireplace,
Just under the window have described, was
set small table, sometimes brought by the
family from their old home, but generally
made ON the spot out of slabs and clapboards
attached to each other. A few shelves in the
opposite corner answered the purpose of a
cupboard in which to put away the pewter"
ware. Near the door, perhaps at the side of
the window, was suspended over a piece of
paper pasted on the wall very useful and
ingenious contrivance pronounced "huzzef,"
in which were stuck the pins and needles Of
the family, and in the capacious pockets of
which the entire family Of combs, big and
little, coarse and fine. together with an end
less variety of other small "traps," were de-
posted. Above this, in exceptional cases
where the parties were rich, small looking
glass was perched.
In most cases there were three beds in the
room in which there was no partition, one in
each corner with its feet toward the fireplace,
and one placed croSswise between them. On
the wall behind the beds was hung the entire
wearing apparel of the family, from the old
est to the youngest, including that of the
daughters whose claim to the favor of the
young gentlemen depended on the extent Of
their wardrobe, as well as the spun wool, fax
and tow of which they could boast, all of
which, suspended from the joists above, their
judicious mothers proudly exhibited to the adj
miring gaze of their suitors as SO many evil
dences of their matrimonial fitness. These
were sensible mothers. OF course their
daughters did not remain long in the market
To use commercial phrase, 'they were
taken"
Just over the door rested the much needed
rife; and ON rack suspended from the joists
in front of the fireplace were hung up to dry
any quantity of Yankee pumpkins, cut out
in rings, resembling miniature wagon wheels
without hubs or spokes. In the loft" as it
was called, were stored away the sage and
catnip of the women and the hickory nuts
and walnuts of the Junior Hoosiers. On the out
side wall were stretched the skins of divers
"yarmints." and in the chimney corner,
under few projecting boards, the plow and
gear were laid away to rest. Though this
description is believed to be fair one OF this
class of pioneer homes throughout the west,
it is taken from one erected by my parents
near Centerville, in Wayne county, In which
they spent the morning of their married lives,
and in which was born. God bless the dear
old place! The log cabin was an unpreten-
tious home 1t was the best, however, the
pioneer at the time could command, and he
was content 1t was no place for the exhibit
ton of pride or style. Neither was rated
very high in these early homes OF our ances-
tors. Combining the parlor, sitting room,
bed room dining room and kitchen In one
room. it was sufficient for all purposes. Ii a
neighbor family was to be entertained there
was ample room, and all were made welcome.
If there was to be log rolling or corn husk-
ing. the whole neighborhood turned out, IN
clndinp the women, who went to help cook,
and the room was ample. If there was to be
a wool picking or quilting, to which the men
were sometimes invited, especially the young
and unmarried ones the room was abundant
and everything was lovely.-Judge j. b.
Julian at Boone County Qnd.) Old Settlers
Meeting.
When an Englishman "gets left" he is said
To be ain the Cart